Electric sign



J. E. LONG ELECTRIC SIGN Filed Jan. 30, 1926 Nov. 29, 192 7.

//7 rev? 260?? JOHN E. LONG.

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JUHN E. LUNG, 01E MULTNOMAH, OREGON.

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Application filed January 30, 1926. Serial No. 84,926.

The improvements now contemplated are to provide a series of circuitbreakers along one side of the perforated paper tape, which willfunction to break the circuit, and extinguish the lamps in case the tapebreaks. also to provide one or more series of circuit con trols alongthe opposite border of the tape which will function to cause a dash orspot light to be directed toward objects which may be referred to in thesign display, or to control any other ap aratus which it may be desiredto operate in connection with the main light display. These objects, aswell as other advantages, ll attain by the construc tion, combinationand arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings whichform a part hereo Fig. T is a front elevation of the device with partsin section and somewhat diagrammatic.

Fig. llll is a plan view of the bottom of the receptacle showing wireterminals.

Fig. HT is a transverse View of the device in Fig. l with parts insection. i

Fig. TV is a plan view of part of a paper tape, showing perforationstherein arranged in characters to control lamp circuits to display lampsand other controls in related arrangement. I

Like characters refer to like parts in the views.

There is a frame l of insulating material. Within the frame a commonterminal plate 2 is secured, the same being provided with sockets toreceive electrical lamps of common type with one terminal thereof incontact with the plate. Lamps 3 are shown in the plate. A circuit wire 4extends from the plate 2 and is connected oppositely as will be laterdescribed. The lamps are positionedin the plate to allow a light displayof them in character and design arrangement. Below the lamp frame is aquadrilateral trough formed receptacle 5 of insulating material,supported on standards 6 in horizontal position. The bottom of thereceptacle has orifices 7 arranged in positions correspondingly relatedto the lamps in place on the plate 2. Wires 8 extend from the respectivelamp terminals, opposed to those having the plate contact, to andthrough the related orifices 7 until the free ends are flush with theupper surface. of the receptacle bottom and are there rigidly secured toform electrical contacts. A perforated tape 9 of nonconducting materialextends in sliding engagement along the bottom of the receptacle,passing about rollers 10-11, within and without the receptacle, arrangedto allow the tape to move in an endless strip flush with the bottom ofthe receptacle. Mechanism 12 is provided to rotate the roller 11 anddraw the tape as stated and illustrated. The tape has perforations.arranged in characters or designs, as for example those shown in Fig. TVat 14, and in relation to the wire terminals in the bottom of thereceptacle and hence also in relation to the lamps in place on thedisplay board. A grid 15 is positioned in the receptacle to engage thetape and cause it to slide snugly along the bottom and prevent it frombuckling. Within the receptacle a bath of mercury 16 is placed. whichrests upon the tape. retained there by the receptacle walls. A circuitwire 17 has its free end immersed in the mercury and extends therefromto a connection with one terminal of a battery 18. From the opposingterminal of the battery a circuit wire 19 extends to and through acircuit breaker 20. having a solenoid 21 of common type. From thecircuit breaker a wire 22 extends to a connection with the plate wire 4.Within the re ceptacle, at one side of the series of orifices 7 and inparallel alignment with same is a series of like orifices 23 in thebottom, spaced a convenient distance apart. Conducting wires 24 have oneterminal in these orifices, flush with the receptacle bottom, theiropposing ends are connected with'a common wire 25. From the wire 25 aconnected circuit wire 26 extends to and about the solenoid 21 and to aconnection with the wire 4 at 27. The portion at the tape which passesover the terminals in the orifices 23 is unperforated. In the bottom ofthe receptacle on-the opposite side of the lamp terminal orifices and inparallel alignment with their series are a third and fourth series oflike orifices 2829, spaced a pre-determined distance apart. Conductingwires 30-31, respectlvely, having one terminal in these orifices flushwith the bottom of the receptacle, extend from there to a connectionwith any pther auxil iaryapparatus terminal which it is deslr till till

Mill

' cury to pass below v 27 to be broken. Briefly,

to operate together with the lamp display, for example a switch to causea ash light of different colors, a spot light, an apparatus to rotate ormove an object under these mentioned lights, etc. From a connectionwiththe wire 22 at the position 27 a return circuit wire 32 extends to aconvenient opposing connection terminal of the auxiliary apparatus,whatever it may be. The tape 9 has perforations 33-34'respectively inalignment with the terminals in the orifices 28-29 or slots as at 35 maybe provided. These perforations or slots are spaced a pre-determineddistance apart. There may be one or more of the series of wire terminalsas in the orifices 28-29 and a corresponding number of tape perforationsas at 33 34. If the tape breaks or buckles so as to allow merit andengage the terminals of the wires 24, the solenoid 21 is actuated,causing the circuit beyond the point the improvement upon my riorapparatus resides in this circuit brea ing control of the lamps and inthe added circuits to control the operation of auxiliary apparatus.

It will now be seen that when the mechanism to rotate the roller 11 isstarted, the roller draws the endless tape through the mercury bath, theterminals in the bottom registering with the tape perforations atpro-determined times. The design or character perforations admit themercury connecting element to contact with theterminals, at 7 below thetape which will close the circuit and cause related lamps 3 to beilluminated in sequence as the tape prograsses until the whole of thecharacters or esigns thus arranged upon a given portion of the tape arepro nated lamps on the thus progresses, should it break, that portionmoving forward has but a short distunes to travel, when the nearestterminal duced by related, illumi- 23 will be uncovered and the mercuryenter into contact with it closing a circuit through the wires'24-2526-22, which actuates the solenoid 21 and operates the circuitbreaker to break the circuit of the wire 4 at 27 and thus extinguish thelamps and prevent them from being lighted bycircuits through theterminals 7 and at the same time break the circuit for the auxiliaryapparatus. The terminal series 28 and 29 are connected by wires 30 and31 with one terminal respectively of any one or more apparatus which itis desired to have operated in connection with the lamp display field,such as a spot light, for example. The wire 32 extends from the wire 22at the point 27 to the opposite terminal of such apparatus. It will nowbe seen that the tape perforations 33 and 34 are arranged in sequence toadmit the mercury at pre-determined times to a connection which willoperate the auxiliary field above. As the tape apparatus referred to.These perforations ma also be slots, to extend the time in which suchapparatus is operated, as for example the slot 35. It is obvious that asany of the tape perforations or slot-s pass beyond the terminals, thecircuits are broken and the apparatus ceases to operate. The object ofthe independent apparatus, for an example, is to display some notice onthe lamp field, such as, Special to-day, and following this, oneapparatus having a spot light might be operated to illuminate an objecton a revolving pedestal to which the notice is desired to call attentionin a show window. A second apparatus to rotate the pedestal slowly couldbe operated by use of the other independent circuit. The lampillumination and auxiliary apparatus can be synchronized accurately withmy device to produce results described and a great variety of othercombinations for display advertising purposes. The improvementsdescribed are new and useful and are easily and economically adaptableto my prior device. Likewise the automatic circuit breaker is new anduseful as it will prevent the entire lamp field illumination. andauxiliary apparatus operating at a loss when the tape breaks or bucklesand fails to work in t e manner intended.

I claim-- 1. In an electric sign device provided with a receptacle ofinsulating material with a horizontal bottom and a centrally disposedplurality of terminals flush with the upper bottom surface, a battery inconnection therewith, a liquid terminal upon the receptacle bottom, alsoa tape of non-conducting material having a plurality of a rturesregistrable with said central terminals, adapted to close and break maincircuits between the terminals, the battery and the li uid terminal;'the combination of the ollowing elements; a like single, circuitbreaking terminal in the receptacle bottom in a line parallel with thecentral terminals, a tape of the kind first described having itsunperforated margin slidable over said single terminal, a circuitbreaker positioned on the main circuit of the device adjacent to a battea wire extending from said single termina to a connection on the maincircuit with the breaker, and a wire extending from the liquid terminalto the opposing terminal of a battery, said elements eing ada ted tobreak the main circuit through the reaker and automaticall close a shortcircuit through said sing e terminal when the tape breaks or buckles andallows the liquid terminal to make contact with the single terminal. "J

2. In an electric sign device provided with a receptacle of insulatingmaterial with a horizontal bottom and a centrally disposed plurality ofterminals flush with the upper neaaara bottom surface, a battery inconnection therewith, a liquirl terminal upon the receptacle bottom,also a tape of non-conducting material having a plurality of aperturesregistrable with said central terminals, adapted to close and break maincircuits between the terminals the battery'and the liquid terminal; thecombination of the tollowirig elements; a series of like circuitbreaking terminals in the receptacle bottom along a line parallel withthe central ones, a tape of the kind first described having itsunperltorated margin sliolable over said parallel terminals, a circuitbreaker positioned on ing from the liquid terminal to the opposingterminal of a battery, said elements being adapted to break the maincircuit through the breaker and automaticall close a short circuitthrough said parallel terminals when the tape breaks or buckles andlallows the liquiol terminal to contact with the parallel terminals.

JUHN E. LONG.

